Rachel's Beginning
by PirateLove
Summary: Rachel is an innocent teenage girl vacationing with her family. When her literature crazed father drags them off course to go visit the strange down of Sleepy Hollow, her vacations becomes one of adventure. Based off the movie.
1. Chapter 1

**Rachel's Beginning**

**This is a start of a new brain child of mine. I was getting a little stir crazy, not coming up with any new ideas to write about. This chapter is rather short, just the beginning anyway, if I continue this story I promise the chapters to be longer. Thank you for looking at it!**

**Disclaimer: Do not own Sleepy Hollow, but this story is all mine.**

If it wasn't for the dark and dreary shadows lingering on the wall, Rachel would have thought of this building as a lovely addition to the town's charming character. But yet again it gave her an eerie feeling to just be amongst the dusty furniture and creaky wooden floors. As if someone was keeping a creepily close on her, this feeling had latched on to her the very moment her family entered Sleepy Hollow. She had heard the ghost stories about the Headless Horseman and such, which is what made this town so famous, she tried not to make the town's history get to her but it was hard.

Rachel's eye caught something in the corner, a painting of a woman. It was a typical painting of the eighteenth century, a lonely woman sitting as straight as an arrow with a stern look upon their usually porcelain faces. This woman was different somehow. She had deep set brown eyes and long curly auburn hair; she seemed quite young, much like Rachel herself. A lump rose in her throat; this was not what she was hoping for.

"Rachel," A voice rang through the high ceilinged room causing Rachel to jump out of her skin, "honey what on earth are you still lingering around here for. We had moved on to the next building twenty minutes ago." Her mother spoke.

Still trying to regain her breath Rachel whispered, "I guess I just lost track of time."

"Well never scare us like that again, I know this is a small town and everything but you have to admit it's a tad bit creepy." Her mother, Barb, said clutching her purse under her arm as a sign of distress. "Of course it was entirely your father's idea…"

Rachel zoned out, ignoring her mother's words, her father was an English Professor at the small private college in their hometown in Brooks Wisconsin. He is completely obsessed with Shakespeare, Washington Irving, and Edgar Allen Poe; pretty much any writer that died before the Civil War. Rachel remembered learning to read Shakespeare before any other kid started reading Judy Blume, her teachers found it fascinating, but Rachel found it annoying. She couldn't help it, it happened to be the only reading material around the house and since Rachel's mind craved words there was no stopping her.

"Rachel are you coming?" Her mother was standing at the door now anxious for her to follow. Her mother was always a jumpy person when it came to superstitions; she has learned never to watch another scary movie for her mother would be the one up all night not being able to sleep.

"Yes, sorry." Rachel apologized.

Her mother looked at her quizzically, "You've been very spacey since we've arrived here. You're not coming down with a cold are you?"

She shook her head, "No, no, not at all. This place is just really…I can't think of a word to describe it." Rachel pondered.

"You're thinking of creepy, eerie, dark; I can't believe your father talked us into to going here. Your brother was on board of course, he enjoys freaky things like this…" Her mother kept rambling on as she walked out the front door of the house.

Rachel, slowly following in her mother's path, took one last glance at the woman's portrait which yet again gave her the sickening feeling in her stomach. Almost like she was staring in a mirror. Without farther a due she ran out of the house without a second thought.


	2. Chapter 2

**It's been FOREVER since I've been on fanfic, but I felt the urge to continue this story because I can actually see it going somewhere. Hope you enjoy. OH P.s. I got sick of writing in second person, so now it's in first person. Just an FYI.**

**Disclaimer: Same… :D**

That night, once my family and I returned to the hotel, the sun was just waning behind the trees. The hotel was just as drabby as all the rest of the buildings with creaky floorboards and foggy windows. It left trying to get to sleep a real chore. So I found myself cuddled up in the lobby with a blanket, it turned out that the lobby was like a mini library, only better. It had couches, chairs, a fireplace and five ceiling high bookcases filled with books. They of course were old and battered with the leather peeling off and the pages had turned yellow and brittle. This was just the way I loved them.

I surprisingly found one that turned out to be a fiction book written by an author that she'd never heard of before, probably someone local. It started out with a huge family feud in a small seaport village but then it spun into an adventure rouge pirates. I made a mental note to add that onto my favorites list. I finally closed the cover when the sun began to shine through the window showing the dust floating through the room.

"Ms may I help you?" I glanced up towards the reception desk to find the small old grounds keeper.

"Oh no I was just browsing through your books." I replied.

"We have quite a selection don't we?" He said, while he rounded the desk and limped his way over to me. "A big city slicker came here once and asked if I would sell the whole bundle for a half a million dollars. Of course I said no, never would sell these."

I got up from the armchair where she was sitting, "No these could be enjoyed a bunch more than in an old dusty library where they would just be ignored."

"Yes exactly." He smiled, showing loss of teeth but it made his eyes crinkle at the corners in only a way age can show. Right when I was going to say something the smile slid off his face and was replaced by scared realization.

I instantly backed up, frightened by the sudden mood change in this old man. While he continued to stare at her with fear in his eyes, he too backed up and began to make his way back behind the desk.

"Rachel!"

I jumped, what was it with people scaring me? I turned to see my mother in her morning robe waiting in the hallway.

"Didn't you hear me?" She asked.

"No sorry, what did you say?"

She looked astounded, "I asked if you were going to come upstairs and use the shower, because your father wants to get an early start."

"Oh, yeah I'll be right up."

She gave me another puzzled look, shook her head and left back down the hallway. I then followed her and made sure to keep my eyes ahead and away from the man standing behind the counter. While I walked I couldn't help feel disturbed about the steady stare burning in the back of my neck which easily made goose bumps spread like wild fire.



If it wasn't for the beautiful day I would have been contemplating the strange event of the morning all day long but luckily the amazing garden we went to left me completely joyful. Of course it was my mother's idea; she felt we needed a change of pace; meaning she couldn't stand the boring, dust ridden museums anymore. I didn't mind that change of pace, not just because I was tired of staring at things in glass cases but because the whole town of Sleepy Hollow was getting under my skin.

"Rachel, isn't this just the most beautiful place you've ever seen?" My mother exclaimed, sneaking up behind me once again. I am beginning to wonder if she enjoys doing that. "It's been giving me ideas for our backyard. OH NO, Mary would just love this whole theme it fits in perfectly with her new cabin at the lake."

I rolled my eyes; her and her landscape has to be the most ridiculous thing. My parents have to be the most obsessed people on earth, their obsessed with their jobs, the house, our town and of course me. I've always wanted a sibling to take their obsessive nature off of me, but that is a little too late, sadly.

My mother pranced away to go gawk at a blooming bush, but it wasn't long before my father slumped up to me. "Hello dear." He grumbled.

"Hi Dad, having fun?" I asked sarcastically.

He just stared at me, obviously not amused. "Do you think she would notice if I snuck back into town?" He asked, a little too excitedly.

"Umm, Dad are you seriously asking me that question?" I stared at him, the least he could do is stay with mom for one thing.

He caught my drift and slumped off back where he came from. I one the other head was soaking up the sun on a grassy slope next to a rose bush, which immediately made me, think of Romeo and Juliet. 'A rose by any other name would smell as sweet…'

I began running over my favorite scene, which was the balcony scene, and was in a place of bliss. With the aroma of roses and birds singing in the tree just above me, I wanted to start singing along, but I thought twice about letting loose my singing voice.

Right when I was laughing at myself, I felt a shadow stretch over me…

**Who's standing over Rachel? What was the old man so frightened about? Find out in the next chapter! BUT I won't write a new chapter unless you review, haha you thought you had it easy. Just kidding.**


	3. Chapter 3

**School is winding down so I finally found time to continue the story of Rachel. Thanks to all who showed interest in my story! Now here we go in 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1.**

**Disclaimer: you know**

I hesitated before I opened my eyes, unsure of what to expect this shadow to turn out to be. Maybe my mother or father, but they both seemed to be preoccupied when I left them last. I took a breath and opened my eyes; the figure was definitely not either of my parents. This figure was young and male, and his voice was stern, "Ms, this section is off limits. So I'm afraid you're going to have to leave."

I jolted up right and got on my feet, "I'm sorry, I didn't see a sign."

His stern face broke as he chuckled and pointed to a small white sign that was located near my resting spot. His frame was tall and a bit skinny, but he did have a small amount of muscles that rippled under his skin. "Its fine, they just want the grass to be perfect. Hope you enjoy it here." Then he strolled off, with his red polo making him stand out in the crowd.

He seemed like the most normal human being I've met so far in Sleepy Hollow, I was happy that I know that the town wasn't full of crazy people.

With a sense if satisfaction, I wandered down the clearly marked path. I found myself passing through rainbow colored flowers, bushes of many shapes and sizes and an array of birdhouses that happened to house all the same species of birds. My mind began to wander and the interesting garden boy was the only topic it stuck on, I scolded myself for not glancing at his name tag. It's not like it was such a big if I happen to see him again there would be no mistaking his face amongst the sea of elders that seemed to rule the town. It wasn't long or maybe it was I wouldn't have noticed either way because I wasn't keeping tabs on the time, but I ran into my mother. She was subconsciously drilling an innocent worker about the type of stones and woodchips that use here, apparently they were the reason the plants grew.

"Mom," I said to get her attention.

She glanced at me and looked back at the confused worker; Mom almost looked torn between spitting out more questions of giving up to talk to me. She chose to actually talk answer me. "Hello honey, having fun?"

The worker chose to make a quick escape while my mother was temporarily preoccupied. "Yeah sure, I don't think Dad is though, maybe we should go find him." I suggested.

She rolled her eyes, "Your dad can suck it up sometimes," she paused to glance at her watch, "well I'm sure he's itching to get to that seminar at four."

The both of us reran the paths looking for my father, we found him later slumped on a bench with his hat over his face.

"Dad," I said, no response. I looked at my mother, she rolled her eyes again.

"Walter!" She yelled, causing the old lady on the other side of the bench to get up abruptly and leave. My father then got up also with sleep lingering in his eyes and a driblet of drool hanging on the corner of his mouth. "You ready to go to that seminar?"

My father's face perked up and he was off like a torpedo.



At the seminar they talked about the Headless Horseman, Washington Irving and Sleeping Hollow. I was beginning to wonder if the people in this town were as conceded as they seemed. The mayor of Sleepy Hollow talked about their annual fair coming up next week and that's when I stopped listening, because there was a younger boy standing next to the mayor.

He was mysteriously withdrawn from the activity around him and he was staring the mayor with an over eager smile on his face, but his eyes said otherwise. I was contemplating his role in the community, why was he out of all people the one to stand next to the mayor. Not even the president of the bank or the head doctor was up on stage.

Then something happened that made my jaw drop, his eyes flickered to mine and held my gaze. A small smile took over his polite attentiveness, but soon disappeared when everyone started clapping. The moment was over, the mayor finished his speech and all the attendees got up from their seats and retreated to the snack table.

My father no sooner striked up a conversation with a graying man in a tweed jacket and my mother absently fell in step beside him. I, however, lingered by the punch bowl like a lone water buffalo.

But then my water buffalo musing was interrupted, "Hello."

I looked up from the swirling pineapple pieces in the punch, it was the mysterious boy. His eyes weren't withdrawn anymore; they were intensely dark and staring at me with keen interest. "Hi," I replied, my hand growing sweaty on my plastic cup.

He smiled sweetly, "I noticed you were the only young one in the audience and I thought I should introduce myself, I'm Scott, the guy with the fancy suit is my father."

What sounded like a puzzle piece clicked in my head, he was the mayor's son. "Oh, it must be great to be invited to all these things." I said, somewhat sarcastically.

"Well I don't really don't have a choice, I'm the youth representative for the small youth population in Sleepy Hollow." He explained, he sounded so intelligent and I was suddenly self-conscious about my shorts and t-shirt compared to his pressed shirt and black dress pants.

"How many people are in your class?" I asked, finding something that I could compare to.

"Just fifty or so, it's not as bad as it sounds."

"Don't you have homecoming or any sports at all?"

"No, but we make up for it." We he said that a sly smile lit his face; I decided not to press any farther.

"Well I better go find my parents, we have reservations for dinner. Nice talking to you Scott." I set down my cup but he spoke before I went to turn around.

"Wait, what's your name?" Scott asked earnestly.

I scolded myself for the second time today to forgetting to remember the etiquette of names. "I'm sorry, I'm Rachel."

"Well Rachel, it was nice to have met you. I'm sure you and I are going to be seeing a lot of each other." And with that he walked away through the sea of people.

**What do you think?!?! Please I would love to hear :D**


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